


Music can be cruel

by detectivejigsaw



Series: Twangst Stories [30]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: A little anachronistic, And so can Randy Newman songs, Angst, Crying, Depressed Stan, Gen, Homeless Stan Pines, Radio stations can be cruel, So much angst, Sorry Not Sorry, Stan Pines Needs A Hug, Stangst, Young Stan Pines, drabble-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/detectivejigsaw/pseuds/detectivejigsaw
Summary: I've had this angsty oneshot idea in my head for a while now, so now I'm going to inflict it on all of you because misery loves company.You're welcome.Or, the one where Stan is trying to keep himself awake on the road, and the song on the radio is painfully applicable.All lyrics are property of Randy Newman; please don't sue me, I'm a technically unemployed grad student with no money to spare.
Series: Twangst Stories [30]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1323026
Comments: 14
Kudos: 55





	Music can be cruel

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I realize this song probably wasn't written until the 90's; it's artistic license.  
> Don't judge me.

For now, Stan was safe.

The fact that he was out in the middle of the desert at some ungodly hour of the night made it less reassuring than it could have been, but at least there weren’t any other cars out here, which probably meant they hadn’t caught up with him yet.

He’d take his miracles where he could get them.

The spots right between his eyes and at the back of his head throbbed, reminding him how long it had been since he’d slept or had a drink of water; Stan ignored them. What was important right now was getting as far as he could, hopefully without running out of gas...had he remembered to fill up the two red cans in the trunk in recent memory? He’d have to check at some point.

His neck and hands were getting pretty sore too, from so much time behind the wheel; Stan kept letting go with one hand and flexing his fingers, trying to get the stiffness out of them. He couldn’t afford to be sloppy if anyone happened to catch up with him.

* * *

Eventually he got tired of the only sound being the roaring of the Stanley-Mobile’s engine, and reached over to flip on the radio. He had to flick through a couple of stations to try and escape the static, but eventually he found something that was playing despite the lateness of the hour.

Specifically, it was a nice little piano piece that Stan found himself tapping his fingers to, relaxing just a bit.

And then a kind of gravelly voice started singing along.

**_You got a friend in me_ **

**_You got a friend in me_ **

**_When the road looks rough ahead_ **

**_And you’re miles and miles from your nice warm bed_ **

**_You just remember what your old pal said_ **

**_Boy, you got a friend in me_ **

**_You got a friend in me_ **

Ugh. A song about friendship and tough times. Just what Stan didn’t need right now.

His fingers were just reaching towards the knob, when the next verse began mercilessly.

**_You got a friend in me_ **

**_You got a friend in me_ **

**_You got troubles, and I got ‘em too_ **

**_There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you_ **

Stan’s breath caught in his throat.

**_We’ll stick together and see it through_ **

**_‘Cause you got a friend in me_ **

**_You got a friend in me_ **

_ “C’mon, Poindexter, just ignore Crampelter! He’s just jealous cuz you can remember the square root of pi, and he’s still tryna learn howta do long division! Ha, all he can do is  _ wrong _ division, am I right?” _

**_Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am_ **

_ “-just a dumb, sweaty version of him!” _

_ “All you do is cheat, lie and ride off your brother’s coattails!” _

**_Bigger and stronger too, maybe_ **

**_But none of them will ever love you the way I do_ **

**_Just me and you, boy_ **

_ “Us against the world, Sixer!” _

_ “Don’t leave me hanging!” _

_ “...High six?” _

**_And as the years go by_ **

**_Our friendship will never die-_ **

Stan’s fist slammed against the knob, killing the radio. Then, ignoring all rules about road safety, the car came to a screeching halt in the middle of the road, followed by a vicious jerk of the keys killing the lights.

Stan’s forehead landed hard on the steering wheel; he barely noticed the fresh pain this created. A warm, wet droplet splashed onto the middle of the wheel, followed by another, and another, then so rapidly that it was impossible to count them.

* * *

The only sound that could be heard in that part of the desert for quite some time was a hoarse, heartbroken sobbing.

**Author's Note:**

> ...If it'll make you feel better, try imagining Bill Cipher singing this while accompanying himself on the piano.


End file.
